Carpet-stretcher



(No Model.) 0. F. HENSHAW J. W. PUTERBAUGR A. A. BROWER;

& S. W. HURLBUT. CARPET STRETGHER.

w 1%, .w/ 00 1 2 0 7 & 2 3i t g m w u r fl A h 6 w LIU n a e b a P r a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR F. HENSHAXV, JOHN WV. PUTERBAUGH, ASHER A. BROYVER, AND

SALMON WARREN HURLBUT, OF CLARINDA, IOVA.

CARPET-STRETCH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,966, dated August 27, 1889.

fierial No. 308,368. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, OSCAR F. HENSHAW, JOHN W. PUTERBAUGH, ASHER A. BROWER, and SALMON WARREN HURLBUT, citizens of the United States, residing at Olarinda, in the county of Page and State of Iowa, have invent-ed a new and useful Carpet-Stretcher, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to carpet-stretchers; and among the main objects in view are to provide a cheap, simple, and efiective carpet-stretcher that may be manufactured at a minimum cost and that is easily and conveniently manipulated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of a carpet-stretcher constructed in accordance with our invention, the same being in operative position; Fig. 2, a detail of the operating-lever and the drawing and locking pawl.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

1 represents the usual toothed transverse carpet-holding bar, at about the center of which, projecting above its upperjsurface, is provided a slotted or recessed guide-plate.

The ratchet-bar 3, for the sake of convenience and cheapness, we prefer to form of two opposite parallel angle-bars or sections 14 14, thus forming opposite flanges 4, said bars being spaced apart at their front ends by a space-block 15, through which passes a binding-bolt 16. The rear ends of the bars are spaced apart by means of a rigid tooth 5,the shank of which is interposed and suitably secured between the bars, the point of the tooth depending therefrom.

By reason of the spacing of the bars described an intermediate space or slot 6 is formed, extending nearly from end-to end of the bars 3.

Upon the upper surface of each of the bars 14 and 14 are formed rearward-disposed teeth 7, the teeth of one bar registering or aligning with those of the other.

Mounted within the Vertical slot 6 is a han dlever 8, which is loosely supported within the slot by means of a bail 9, extending from the holding-bar 1. Pivoted to the lower end of the lever, within bifurcated offset and shouldered jaws 10, is a loose upwardly-dis-- posed pawl 12, provided with opposite cars 11, designed to take into the opposite racks on the rack-bar, said pawl passing through the vertical slot of said bar and taking into the racks at a point in rear of the operatinglever.

Above the bail 9 there is loosely pivoted a gravity-pawl 13, the working end of which is adapted for engagement with the double rack. These pawls are so located as to be substantially equidistant from the pivotal point of the hand-lever.

The operation of our invention is as follows: The fixed tooth at the end of the bar 3 is inserted at the end of the flooring, or between it and the mop-board, and the toothed bar 1 is moved down a sufficient distance upon the bar 3 to take hold near the edge of the carpet. By grasping the hand-lever and drawing it toward the toothed bar the arm 12 and its opposite shoulders 11 are caused to ride Over the face of the rack-bar and drop into the adjacent tooth thereof. Now by throwing the hand-lever in an opposite direction, or away from the toothed bar, the arm 12 acts as the fulcrum and the gravity-pawl 13 rides lightly over the face of the teeth, and when released takes into one of the adjacent teeth of the bar. In this manner the carpet may be stretched carefully and evenly and gradually and by the motion of the hand-lever in both directions. When the lever is released and the gravity-pawl is in engagement with the teeth of the rack-bar, the device is locked and any slipping of the carpetds obviated, and the operator may proceed to tack the same for a distance the width of the toothbar, when the device is moved to one side, a

we claim is 1. In a carpetstretcher, a transverse bar longitudinally slotted and terminating in atoothed bar, and a hand-lever pivotally connected with the bail and passing through the slot, a fulcrum-arm pivoted to the lower end of the lever, passing upwardly through the slot and terminating in rack-engaging lugs, and a pawl pivoted to the lever operating in the slot of the rack-bar and disposed in a direction opposite to the arm, substantially as specified.

2. The toothed bar 1, provided with the recessed guide-plate 2 and laterally-extending bail 9, in combination with the opposite anglesections 3, provided with opposite flanges t for entering the guide-plate, said sections being spaced apart by the depending tooth-shank 5 and the opposite block 15, thus forming the slot 6, the hand-lever 8, mounted on the bail 9, the pawl 13, connected to the lever above the bail, and the arm 12, connected to the lever below the bail, passing through the slot 6, and terminating in the opposite lugs 11, substantially as specified.

3. In a carpet-stretcher, the combination, with a toothed bar, of a rack-bar loosely mounted thereon and provided with a longitudinal slot, a hand-lever connected with the toothed bar and mounted in the slot and terminating at its lower end in opposite shoulders 10, operating against the lower edges of the rack-bar, and an arm 12, pivoted between the shoulders, passing through the slot, and engaging the rack-bar, substantially as specified.

4:. In a carpet-stretcher, the toothed bar having the slotted rack-bar rigidly connected thereto, combined with the lever 8, the bail 9, the pawl 13, the offset jaws 10, hearing on the under side of the rack-bar, and the arm 12, having ears 11 and connected to the lever 8 below the rack-bar, as set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

OSCAR F. HENSHAVV.

.I. W. PUTERBAUGH.

ASHER A. BROVVER.

SALMON WARREN HURLBU'I.

lVitnesses:

IRA A. HARDIN, HENRY LORANZ. 

